Flatline
by NudistParrot
Summary: I'm a mess and you're worse. Dave/Jade.


It all started because Dave Strider was madly in love with Jade Harley.

Dave had no idea how it all came down to this. It was a mess, he was a mess.

And oh boy, was Jade in a worse mess.

Really it hurt but he would never admit it because at the same time it felt so so so good with Jade kneeled in-between his legs.

And fuck was she _good._

It sickened him to think about how she had gotten that good — the second life she never spoke about but everyone knew.

"_I act, Dave. Nothing more and nothing less." She growled, crossing her arms. Her chest heaved and why wouldn't she put on some damned clothes. She was all curves and skintight clothing that wasn't her, it wasn't her. _

_And she only wore it at work, Dave knew. Jade had tried so hard to keep it a secret, she was embarrassed, and for a good reason. She had a damn kinky side. _

"_You left out the part where you did it _naked_." He spat. They argued like this all the time and it made him sick. Her eyes flashed with hurt and she bit her lip. _

"_I—"_

"_Don't explain yourself." Because Dave already knew and he didn't want to hear it fall from her perfect pouting lips. She was innocent in his mind, so flawless and Dave Strider was selfish. _

He threw his head back, pulling her hair — and she had a lot of it to pull—

"Jade." He grunted and it was only times as this he used her first name. It was unblemished intimacy.

She never stopped, never ever stopped. He wished she would for once. Stop all of this. He wished they could go back to being kids, to playing _games._

_(-It wasn't just a game, never was, it was a life changer and it was terrible and wonderful. He wouldn't take it back to the world. He could, but he wouldn't.)_

Really it changed them all, they watched everyone they loved die — sometimes more than once.

She said she acted to earn money, he knew she liked the attention. But he could give her so much more, if she would just give him a chance. She never did.

She swallowed like always and stood up, always awkward, always beautiful. Her big eyes and big glasses and still Jade.

Dave reached out to her.

Jade stepped back, taking her hair into her hands like she did when she was nervous.

"I have to go…" She motioned towards the door.

She always had to go.

He nodded and put on his sunglasses so she couldn't see his eyes.

Still Dave.

They were just friends.

This was a mess. Dave put his head in hands as he heard the front door shut.

Jade lived with him, in a tiny stuffed one-room apartment.

And they were just friends.

After Dave had found out about Jade's job, he had confronted her and she had cried and hadn't come home for days. Finally as he eased up to it, she popped the question.

"_Dave?" She peeked her head out of the bedroom. _

"_Hm?"_

"_I have a favor to ask you?" and her face was red and it always was now days. _

Fate was sealed. Jade used him to practice her skills and it made him so so so sick. She wasn't a whore, she reassured him. She just wanted to know how to please a man.

Bullshit.

Jade liked the attention. It made her feel beautiful and Dave swore up and down he could too. Jade said she needed the money so she could get out of his apartment. But the downward spiral after the game had left her in debt, as it had done to most of them.

_(-And Jade just wanted to go back home and Dave just wanted Bro back and Jade just wanted everything back!)_

They were just friends. And now they were just friends with benefits.

Dave had fallen in love with Jade. But Jade was Jade, beautiful, awkward and naïve Jade. A very naïve porn star with the blush of a bride and the body of a Goddess.

Dancer, porn star, whore — really Dave had no idea what she was doing with her life. All he knew is that she wasn't his and that other people were looking at her and other people were touching her and _she was probably touching other people._

He was a mess and she was worse.

Really, they all had come out okay after everything that happened. Especially Jade. The sexual endeavors were to be expected after it was all said and done.

It was another secret.

And Dave seemed to know most of her secrets.

Jade was naïve and all she knew was that it felt good and it brought in money and attention. It made her feel beautiful after she had made so ugly. Having your virginity taken by a beast that is mostly Jack Noir but also mostly Bec does that to you. Especially if it was wrong and terrifying but it felt good, Jade sobbed. It made her feel so ugly, so horrible.

And Dave said, no no, its normal, its fine. And he touched her and she begged him and never kissed him but they were so so so young.

And she wasn't stupid, she was naïve and she knew what was happening but how oh god how do you stop it.

And Dave saw it all. It was a terrible thing. He couldn't look away and he couldn't stop.

That's why he knew that she was just trying to cope — just trying to figure everything out.

She was trying to forget, to find herself. Dave wanted nothing more than to help her, make her his and his alone. He wanted to show her how beautiful she was. He wanted to fix her.

When Jade came home and Dave caught her by the wrist, he made up his mind.

She squeaked, wheeled around, he wasted no time.

"Harley." He breathed. "I want to help you."

"What do you mean?" she furrowed her brow at him.

Before she could say anymore, he kissed her hard and soft all at the same time. Her lips were soft and warm and why hadn't he done this sooner. She flinched, and tensed up — he kept kissing, moving his lips and bringing his hand to touch her face.

Finally, and carefully, she kissed back, rough and awkwardly. It wasn't long before teeth were clumsily gnashing and she was whimpering in a way he had never heard.

Dave pulled back, panting, face red. Jade looked worse, blushing harder than he had ever seen her and her eyes bright and shining.

"T-that was my first kiss…" she looked away from him and touched her lips.

Now that surprised him and not much surprised Dave.

"What?" He stared at her.

She giggled, shifting uncomfortably.

"I never let anyone kiss me." She mumbled. "I was saving it…"

"For who?"

"You."

And he kissed her again and again.

"Jade, Jade, Jade," she whispered. "I want to make you fall in love."

"Don't be silly, Dave."

His heart broke.

"I already am."

He blinked, but she couldn't see. She was flustered and shaking, chewing on her lower lip.

"W-will you stop…you know…?" He stuttered and that wasn't cool.

She paused, shifted her weight. Her legs were shaking.

"Jade, be mine. Fuck, just…"

He got down on one knee.

"Jade Harley. Marry me. I will pay for your whole life, we can move back to your island or even a big city. You are beautiful and just be mine and only mine."

And he was serious. It had been years since they had beaten the game and here they were still young but not as young. Still foolish.

"I…Dave…"

"Please."

"I'm not good enough…for you…"

"Fuck Jade, what don't you understand. I'm throwing my heart on the ground in front of you. I fucking love you."

"Dave—"

"You are beautiful. I will go back in time and save you, I will risk dying again and again, so long as you are _happy._"

"Dave, stop—"

"Fuck the other guy, I can be so much better! Just give me a chance!"

"I love you, Dave!" Jade suddenly shouted as soon as he took a breath. "Only you, always you!"

"Then why…why are you doing this?"

"So that I can be perfect — for you! I don't want to be broken or the stupid virgin girl!" She spat the word virgin because it was a lie. "And fuck, Dave, I just want to forget! I wanted to forget for you so you wouldn't have to deal with it! It's my burden, not yours!"

And she's shaking and sobbing and it's just like before.

"I'm not good enough, not yet."

Dave never wanted to hear he say it because he only knew part of it and the truth hurt worse than the partial he had already knew. He grabbed her shoulders roughly and pulled her to him, crashing her tightly against his chest.

"Shut up, Jade."

She shuddered.

"You've always always always been good enough. So shut up and be mine."

Dave Strider was madly in love with Jade Harley.

"Only if we can make videos together."

And Jade Harley had a damn kinky side — but Dave wasn't complaining.

_A/N: Someone please tell me where I was going with this._


End file.
